


Naruto - Beast of Ecruteak

by Corvo261, UnknownEnforcer



Category: Naruto, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Anthro, Character Death, F/M, Fluff, Human to Pokemon, Human/Pokemon Relationship(s), Lime, Pokephilia, Rebirth, Romance, Taboo, Transformation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:01:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26517895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corvo261/pseuds/Corvo261, https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownEnforcer/pseuds/UnknownEnforcer
Summary: There was an unfortunate visitor in the day the tower burnt down, however, instead of saving his own life, he tried to save the lives of the other three Pokémon, but perished along with them after his injuries became too much. However, he was also resurrected by the great Ho-Oh, and was reborn as a Pokémon, one that would be eventually classified as the Fourth Legendary Beast. [!Pokémon Naruto x Female Pokémon Harem] [Possible Anthro Naruto x Human Relationship][THIS HAS BEEN CROSSPOSTED TO MY FANFICTION.NET ACCOUNT; FESTIVEBOI]Pokémon is owned by "Game_Freak" And "Nintendo".This is a fan made, nonprofit workPlease support the official release
Relationships: Naruto/Entei, Naruto/Raikou, Naruto/Suicune
Comments: 23
Kudos: 67





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note - The main writer for this will be Corvo261! I am merely helping along with this and helping with chapter ideas!
> 
> Warning - This chapter is dark and might be hard to read for most people, so it is definately worth the 'M' and possibly the Explicit rating.
> 
> Pairing - !Pokemon Naruto x Female Pokemon Harem x Human Females.
> 
> As a story note, please be aware that this chapter takes place 150 years before the events of the first Pokemon season of the anime, meaning that it is in the far past, meaning technology or any modern stuff won't be found in this chapter.
> 
> Also, I am aware of the 'myth' or 'legend' made by the fandom that the three unknown Pokemon were Flareon, Jolteon and Vaporeon before they perished, so I am using that, so please don't hate on it if they actually aren't what the unknown Pokemon were, it would just be easier to work with.

**Chapter 1**

Ecruteak City. Many people thought that it was the most beautful city found in the Johto region, and could compete with other cities across the entire world. It had everything, it had its own culture and beliefs, it had its own history for the city, people had their own way of dressing in formal and fine clothing, it even had a place for people to come together to enjoy dance and theatre, the city even created its own special instruments to make unique music to share with the rest of the region. There was even a place that all the monks and monks in training could go to practice thier beliefs, and it wasn't isolated, yet it was furnished for their needs and even had zen gardens for the monks to enjoy.

Although, there was one thing that made Ecruteak City different from the rest, and that was the magnificent tower in which the residents called; The Burnt Tower - once known as the Brass Tower - and standing high and mighty on the other side of the flourishing city was the so called twin; The Bell Tower.

These two towers were created over 750 years ago, and its purpose was to foster friendship between people and Pokemon alike, as back then, there were no such things as Poke Balls, it was only for the bonds forged for people and Pokemon by communicating and learning from each other.

Despite the beauty of the city that was slowly growing to be the cultural powerhouse of the Johto region, it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for everyone, as there were some unlucky few that didn't have the most pristine and comfortable life in the city, in fact, it could be the polar opposite of them having a life that was filled with poverty, loneliness and even uncomfortable.

That is where the story begins, with one of those unlucky few that didn't have the chance to live the comfortable lifestyle within the ever growing city, and it starts in the far past, when the Burnt Tower was something much more, back when it stood high and mighty with its twin; The Bell Tower over 150 years ago, before the tragedy that followed in which the people of Ecruteak City would call the darkest day for generations to come.

**xXx**

Slowly, the form of a small boy could be seen rising from his makeshift bed that he made for himself near the edge of the town.

The small boy couldn't of looked like he was older than six or seven years of age and stood at a rather short height of 3'5 - a couple of inches below the average height for his age. Yet, he was living life like no one ever should. His rather skinny frame only solidified the fact that he was homeless and was suffering from malnourishment, as he couldn't get a decent food intake during the days nor nights due to how poor he was, and for the fact that the older people didn't seem to care for him at all - barring a friendly old man, but he too was getting up there for age.

The boys hair was rather messy and a dull yellow color - which used to be bright yellow, and in the right light, it could look like the sun in brightness - and was rather greasy from the lack of proper bathing that he could enjoy - as he could only enjoy a few minutes in one of the ponds outside the city before having to get out in order to not contaminate the water with filth so the other creatures could drink from it - his peach colored skin was smudged with mud, dirt and other grime that had managed to cling to his skin during the nights from his living environment as well. His blue eyes - which conveyed the many emotions he felt - were rather bleary and rather watery from having just woken up from his slumber. The most exotic and interesting feature that he had was the three-whisker like markings he had on each cheek, people still didn't know whether it was birthmarks or some sort of genetic mutation.

It was also one of the reasons why most people actually avoided him, they were scared of what they didn't know.

His clothing was... something that many would notice, as it was old. While they were old, they still did the job they needed in order to cover as much skin as possible. The fabric was a soft green color and had many floral patterns and went down just past his knees - while it may look girly, it was indeed a Yukata, the male version of the Kimono that the city loved to make from all different types of fabric and colors.

This was Naruto Uzumaki, resident 'street rat' of Ecruteak City.

His tired blue eyes blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the grogginess that came after a long nap or slumber. As he looked around at his surroundings - in which he called home - it was merely a small bed made of leaves that he managed to stitch together with the use of some twine and string that he managed to snag with the little money he had - it took nearly two whole days to it, but it was worth it for him - while he didn't have any covers to cover himself at night with, it was still better than sleeping on the cold, hard ground.

Set next to the makeshift nature bed, there was a small lamp, which seemed to be on its last legs, but it did provide some sort of light when it was lit at night and did provide some warmth for him to enjoy and bask in during the cold Winters and Autumns. He just needed to make sure to not place it so close to the leaf bed, as the lamp did have a tendency to flicker and he didn't want to risk a small ember falling onto the bed and setting it on fire.

Glancing towards the sky in order to find out the time of the day, Naruto found that the sun was near its peak in the sky, meaning that it was close to the middle of the day. How he slept for that long undisturbed was a mystery to him. He frowned however, when he noticed that menacing, dark gray clouds were slowly moving towards each other and looked like they wouldn't stop until the sun was completely covered.

While it was unfortunate to see that the beautiful blue sky was slowly turning a dull and dreary dark gray color, it didn't mean that he had the day to himself, it just meant that he needed to work extra hard and provide some covering for himself to protect himself against the downpour that was sure to drop from the sky, _'Maybe sleeping in the Brass Tower would be an option.'_ He thought to himself, glancing upwards once again, but this time, he caught sight of the marvelous building which made Ecruteak City unique; the Brass Tower.

Whilst the Brass Tower was a place that was normally only used for some special ceremonies, such as weddings or even special holidays of the town, such as the holidays that the people celebrate and worship the mystical beasts, which have been named; Ho-Oh and Lugia, by the general population, as it was said in the long past that those beasts would perch upon the Brass Tower and Bell Tower respectively, it was possible to be able to have permission to sleep there if need be.

Not many people used it as they had their own home and family to attend to, but for someone like Nartuo, who had no home or no family to speak of, it might be possible to sleep within the sacred tower, _'Monk Sarutobi could give me permission.'_ He thought to himself, smiling lightly as he thought of the friendly monk who cared for him.

While he might not be around much as he had other duties to attend to and students to teach in the ways of being a monk, he still tried to leave some time out and just bond with Naruto and give insightful advice and wisdom to pass onto him to live his life to the fullest and to treat every living being with respect, _'If you show a creature the respect they want, then they will treat you with the respect you want.'_ Was one of his teachings to Naruto, and it had stuck within him ever since. At every opportunity he could, he would follow the advice of Sarutobi, yet, he would sometimes never get the respect back.

It was painful, but in the end, he would smile and continue to be respectful - as best as he could, sometimes, it was hard to continue being respectful if most of the time, it wasn't returned.

Tidying up his Yukata the best he could, Naruto bent down and picked up the makeshift leaf bed that he made and gently strung the twine around his shoulders, like he was carrying a vase or something of importance like that - in which it was, it was his bed, his resting place for the night. He also gently picked up the rusting lamp and placed the metallic ring loop at the top through a small hole in the fabric, making sure that it was secured in place. Once he patted himself down and did a small jiggle of a body movement to make sure that everything was secured and didn't have a chance to fall off of his person, he made his way from his little spot and made his way towards the Brass Tower.

He knew that Monk Sarutobi would be busy at this time with his prayers and meditation, so he decided to spend some time at the tower itself. Maybe there would be some stray creatures around that he could try and bond with.

**xXx**

Walking around the quickly developing and flourishing city that was Ecruteak, Naruto couldn't help but feel a little jealous as his attention was caught with the many residents all chatting with each other, and doing some daily tasks that were near impossible for him to even do, like talking to their families, thinking about what ingredients they needed for this evenings dinner, and even the price in which they would have to pay for a simple ticket to a performance that was happening later tonight.

For someone like him, he couldn't enjoy the simple things in life, hell, he couldn't even think ahead about what he wanted for dinner and ingredient wise, he had to rely on luck or for some people that were feeling just a little generous to even give him some spare ingredients they bought for their hard earned cash. He wouldn't stoop so low as to steal food, as the people that were selling them had spent a lot of time and effort on their part for growing the crops and looking after them during the seasons, and he didn't want to be the reason why that person or family couldn't have enough money on them to live comfortably for one more night and day.

Another reason why some people simply ignored him was because many of the populace labelled him as someone who was worthless and was a mere beggar - even when he didn't beg, he just took what the people didn't want - and someone who tainted the fine streets and culture of the city with his presence. It hurt him deeply, but he couldn't do anything about it, all he could do was try and ignore the occasional whisper or look of loathing that he received from the more stuck up and rich people of the city.

As he was walking through the main street of the city, he saw many men and women alike all looking at the stalls that had been made by the people to try and sell some goods, whether they be pots or vases, to even vegetables that had been freshly picked either late last night or early morning for the markets.

"Gomen-ne." Naruto apologised to the person he bumped into as he wasn't paying attention. He once again felt disheartened as he saw that the young girl that he bumped into was about to apologise as well, but before she could even utter the words, she was suddenly pulled away by her mother.

He did feel a little better once she sent him a sorrowful look as she was pulled away by her family member, but it still hurt to see that people his age wouldn't even talk to him.

Looking up once again, he saw that the clouds have grown even grayer, and looked much more menacing than before when he first woke up, there was hardly any sign of the sun, barring a few small rays escaping through the gray abyss that were the clouds, "Zapdos must be near." He muttered to himself, while the creature known as Zapdos might have not been seen before, everyone knew that Zapdos could create thunderstorms by flapping its wings.

If the sky was looking so dark and dreary, it must mean that the beast of thunder must be nearby, and it could only be heard by the buzz and cracks of lightning that shoot down upon the land.

Gripping onto the twine that pulled his makeshift bed closer to his body, Naruto took a shaky breath before continuing his journey towards the location that he had in mind. The quicker that he got into the Brass Tower the better. While he may not be fearful and hateful of many things, he didn't enjoy storms and he certainly didn't like the thought of ghosts being around him or haunting him.

Coming to a halt just before the grandiose stairway that led up to the magnificent tower that was built mainly from brass, silver and some golden trinkets that hung from the stylised building that nearly touched the very clouds, he quickly placed his hands together and did a silent prayer. It was always a rule to do before entering and taking a step upon the stairway that led to the sacred tower.

He had heard rumors that if you didn't pray before you took a step leading up to the tower, then you would be cursed with bad luck for many moons to come, and that was something that he didn't want to have happen to him, given his already terrible luck to begin with.

Taking a small breath, Naruto hesitantly took a small step upon the first of many stone steps that would lead up to the sacred tower, and possibly, his resting place for the night. Smiling lightly and some relief as he didn't feel anything different or odd happening around him or inside him, he began his ascent towards the entrance of the tower, it would be some exercise to keep his slightly malnourished body in better shape, and he got to enjoy the smell of the various flowers as he did so.

A low rumble rippled through the air as a small flash of lightning was seen for a split second overhead as the people took little notice of it, not needing to worry about the weather until the rain finally fell from the clouds above.

Sadly, this would be the final time that Naruto would ever enter the tower, and he would never leave it again like he was now.

**xXx**

Stepping inside the sacred tower, Naruto couldn't help but marvel at how nice it was on the inside, and despite looking rather small on the outside, on the inside was a completely different story, and it seemed like each floor could easily fit over dozens of people inside and still have room to spare. The walls coated in what looks to be gold and bronze, along with some fascinating images on the wall that displayed the monks of the past all peacefully meditating by the forestry, along with the many creatures that had been spotted in the nearby area and the land itself being around them, seemingly in peace and joy as they surrounded the monks.

Large bronze pillars engraved with silver markings and kanji for various words stood proud and tall in each corner of the room, with perfectly shaped holes for them to travel through on the upper floors of the tower. For something built so long ago, it was easy to see just how much time and effort, along with love and devotion was placed into the making of the tower. It was even furnished with the finest of silken items and was in perfect condition, not even a single spec of dust could be found anywhere on the wood, and not a single smudge could be found on the walls, floors, ceiling or even pillars.

It even had a faint aroma of nature as there were many potted plants hanging slightly from the ceiling, bringing just a little more color and natural feel to the man-made structure.

People of the community made sure to keep this sacred tower clean, not only for keeping this magnificent tower as inviting as possible, but to also honor the towns ancestors before them, along with honoring the creatures that might have helped the community build these towers. It might have also helped appease the mystical beasts of this land.

_**RUMBLE** _

The sound of the rumbling thunder made Naruto jump lightly, despite him being inside and the noise being heavily muffled behind the amount of material that was behind the structure of the building, it still was loud, and he could even feel the polished wood he was standing on shake and quiver under the intense boom.

Calming himself down, Naruto made his way towards the polished wooden staircase that led to the second of the seven floors that the tower possessed. It was a rather odd design choice, but Naruto had to think back on the lesson that Monk Sarutobi taught him, and those were the supposed stages of the 'Seven Gates of Chakra', which was a lesson that was taught by many monks throughout the time that Ecruteak had been around.

It supposedly was a teaching that allowed one to draw in energy to keep the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health of the body in balance, with neither of the four taking more hold over the body. He was told that while many could learn to do this, not everyone could master it, which was why some people developed more on one side while the other sides lacked in power and balance.

He was told that each and every monk had mastered this power, which was why it was up to those monks to continue the teachings of the past, to try and allow others to follow on this path and allow them to make use of their body to the fullest potential.

It was another reason why there were seven different floors to this tower, as it also doubled as a place where people could go to improve upon and learn more about this hidden energy buried inside them, with each floor having a different stage within the development of chakra. Only people who had completed the practices and finally opened the stage of chakra they were on could progress to the next level, with each level of the tower proving more difficult to the last, which was why the sixth and seventh floor barely had anyone in it, from what he was told by Sarutobi.

Shaking his head from those thoughts, Naruto glanced around the room, before spotting a lone, fine silken seat that had been furnished on this level of the floor. Seeing something that he could use as a somewhat comfortable pillow - despite the cushion being way too large for it to actually be comfortable for his body - as he was making his way over towards the seat, his ears picked up on an odd tapping noise happening.

Straining his ears the best he could, he tried to locate where the noise was coming from.

_**TAP** _

_**TAP** _

_**THUNK** _

Looking up towards the ceiling as he heard a rather loud thump coming from the third floor of the tower, he frowned to himself, _'What could have fallen?'_ He thought to himself. Seeing as he was already in the tower and near whatever caused the noise, he decided to check it out and see what he could do to try and fix whatever might have fallen down. Despite everything being nice and furnished, he didn't want to risk something being on the ground where other loose items could possibly fall and cause more damage. As he made his way towards the polished wooden staircase, he also idly thought that this would be his second time going to the third level of the tower.

The first time was when Monk Sarutobi took him through a little tour of the place to show him the different things and activities that were performed on each level, along with giving him an incentive to work towards, since many people didn't make it to the sixth or seventh levels in the chakra teachings, Naruto thought that if he could make it that far, then maybe some other people would treat him with respect and actually pay attention to him, rather than either ignoring him or giving him these awful looks.

As he made his way up the staircase and glanced around the room, his sense of smell was assaulted by the soft fragrance of the water that the small fountain was producing in the middle of the room, yet when he took a deeper breath, he caught the overpowering scent of something wet, and almost had a distinctive scent to when he first smelt of wet fur.

Blinking a few times as he looked around, he finally took notice of three distinct canine-like creatures huddling together in the corner of the room.

"Hey." Naruto gently called out, his voice carrying across the room and eventually catching the three canines' attention towards him.

He had to frown as he saw the middle one flinch a little and cower behind the other ones. His eyes also caught a small cut along the creature's chest that seemed to have been leaking out small amounts of blood, which contributed to the scent of lingering iron in the air.

Making his way over towards the trio of creatures, he made sure to keep his steps soft and even, while his hands were always within their line of sight along with him trying to mask any emotions that might have been leaking from him. He didn't want to move too quickly or erratically and be exuding the negative emotions that were within his body to the creatures, he wanted to come off as someone who they could trust, despite them never having seen him before.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you." He gently said as he was within a few feet of the creatures. Now that he was within such a close distance, the appearance of the creatures finally set in place, and they were definitely not like the other creatures often found around this area or from the nearby towns or cities.

The first creature is a quadruped, mammalian creature. It is covered in yellow fur with a spiky fringe around its tail and a white ruff around its neck. Its ears are large and pointed with black interiors, and its eyes and small nose are black. It has slender legs and small paws, each with three toes and a pink paw pad.

While not touching the fur on its body, it certainly did look rather painful to touch with how spiky and jagged it looks.

His attention was then brought to the second creature of the group, and the second one that was covering the cowering creature behind it, almost like it was protecting it from harm, and the small glare that he was receiving only solidified that account,

It was another quadruped creature with three small toes on each foot and dark blue paw pads on the hind feet, it also shares physical traits with both aquatic and land animals - from what Naruto had seen in his short life. It's body is light blue with a dark blue marking around its head and a spiky ridge down its spine. It has black eyes and a tiny black nose. There was a white fin encircling its neck and three fins with cream-colored webbing on its head. One of these fins is on each side of its head similar to ears and one is directly on top of its head similar in appearance to a dorsal fin.

Carefully bringing his hands down, he offered the back of his hand towards the creature, where he would patiently wait for them to make the first move in sniffing his hand. He was always told that it made it less threatening if he used the back of his hand, as he couldn't grab anything or potentially hurt them.

It seemed like a few minutes that Naruto left his hands like that, waiting with his breath being held and his heart beating at a quickened pace, the slight fear that they could bite him or attack him was a little alarm bell ringing in his mind.

However, it seemed as those fears were ripped out of his head as he saw the two creatures that shared a very slight resemblance to each other leaned forward and gave a small sniff of his hands, before they rubbed their wet noses against it. Seeing it as a sign that they trusted him, he carefully pulled his hands away before gently rubbing both of the rather cute creatures. With him rubbing under the chin of the yellow creature, and with him rubbing between the head of the blue creature.

"Aren't you just precious things." Naruto quietly muttered out, feeling a little better about himself as he continued petting the two creatures in front of him.

It was then at this point that he felt the blue creature be nudged away gently by the third creature that had been cowering behind them when he first spoke out. Blinking a few times as he felt the blue creature growl lightly at having its petting interrupted, Naruto was finally able to see the third creature.

The creature, much like the other two was a mammalian, quadruped creature covered in short, reddish-orange fur. It has long ears with black interiors, dark eyes, and a small black nose. There are three small toes and a yellow paw pad on each foot. Fluffy yellow fur forms a small tuft on its head, as well as its bushy tail and a mane around its chest and neck.

He could feel the heat being emitted from it, despite the fact it was shivering and the creamy yellow fur seemed to be stained with a small amount of blood. He could also see that the creature's fur was wet, meaning that they must have come in here to get away from the rain, in which he could hear splatting and pattering away at the building.

Naruto was rather surprised when the red creature that also bore a slight resemblance to the other two pushed forward even further and rubbed its head against his outstretched hand, almost mewling in delight. He couldn't help but giggle at the feeling of the warm fur of the creature warming himself up.

_**RUMBLE** _

_**BANG** _

Naruto jumped out of his skin when the thunder rumbled through the entire place, with the sound vibrating off of the walls and seemingly shaking the very floors that himself and the creatures were standing on.

Gently cooing the creatures to calm them down, Naruto also started petting them, trying to calm them down like this along with his words.

Sniffing the air as something else caught his nose, his eyes widened when he smelt something burning, and an unnatural amount of heat was rushing throughout the building and creating a small haze within the air.

"Fire..." Naruto muttered to himself, fear evident in his voice.

He knew of the dangers of a fire, especially ones caused by lightning strikes, they could start anywhere at any time during a storm, and it just so happened to either strike at the top of the building, or around the fifth floor. It also didn't help that this building was mostly made of wood, and that the fire would rip through it in an instant and fuel the fire further.

"Quick! We need to get out of here!" Naruto spoke out towards the creatures.

Getting up and running towards the staircase, he glanced behind him to see if the creatures were following him, and he was relieved to see the blue and yellow creatures were with him, however, he felt his heart drop as he didn't see the red creature with him.

Taking a shaky glance towards where they were, he felt his fears come true.

It was still there, it tried to get up and follow them out and towards safety, however, as soon as it put pressure down on its front paw, it flinched before it dropped to the floor again.

Glancing down the staircase that would lead to the lower floors and closer to safety, and back towards the creature that would surely die in the fire as it couldn't move from its injuries, he had to make a choice.

It was either his safety and safety of the two creatures that were with him, and that would leave the red creature to die in this fire alone, or he could risk it by going back and picking it up, in which would lead to having more risk and less of a chance to even get out into safety.

Steeling his resolve, he made his choice.

Rushing his way away from the staircase, he brought his forearm and rested it on his forehead, shielding himself the best he could from the falling embers and trying to eliminate the haze that was slowly becoming thicker throughout the room.

"Jolt!"

"Eon!"

Ignoring the calls of the creatures that were waiting by the staircase, Naruto continued his path, making sure to dodge the falling debris as best as he could. He knew that the floors above him were starting to lose the fight from the bellowing inferno above, but that just pushed him even further to try and save the creatures.

Quicky coming upon the downed and injured creature, Naruto could feel the heat starting to get to him, he was sweating like mad and he felt a little woozy from inhaling the thick smog that was makings it way through the room, corrupting the air out of its freshness and instead making it thick and near impossible to even breath within the blaze.

"Flar?"

"Come on, you are getting out as well." Naruto spoke out, bringing his hands beneath the creature and carefully wrapping them around its underside, making sure not to grip too strongly and risk the creature from suffocating or getting injured further. Once he felt the creature secured in his grip, he stood back up again, wincing at the additional weight that the creature brought upon him, and the natural heat of the creature was making the experience a whole lot worse, "Here we go..." Naruto muttered to himself as he rushed back towards the staircase, towards the two others who were looking at him rather wide-eyed from the selfess act of saving their sister.

"Come on! We need to hurry." Naruto yelled out over the flickering flames and falling debris. He could hear the creaks and groans of the wooden floors above him, and if he listened closely, he could hear the thunder continue to rumble outside. Except this time, it was much more frequent and much more powerful and rattling as before.

Squinting his eyes to try and see properly, Naruto and the other creature took a step that happened to be weakened from the intense stress and debris that had fallen on it, and it simply couldn't hold any longer.

With an ear shattering crunch and crack, the staircase they were on fell apart.

"AHHH!"

With an ear piercing scream along with the cries of the creatures he was trying to save, they fell towards the lower floors.

**xXx**

Outside in the city, the people simply stood by, not being able to comprehend what was happening right in front of their eyes.

Sure, it had been certain that it would be raining today, but what they didn't expect was a massive storm to overtake the city. The lightning strikes seemed to be so far away when they were first happening, but then a few of them crashed into the Brass Tower right after the other.

So, now, here they were, unable to comprehend the fact that one of the cities most important landmarks was burning before their eyes. It truly was something that felt so surreal. The darkened sky, the flashes of lightning bringing some form of light, along with the booming claps of thunder.

Then the ferocious flames burning orange and red, even white at some places as the heat simply boiled the various metals past boiling point, creating small flashes of white to blind some who were looking in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Was there anyone who went into the tower?" One of the monks and keepers of the tower asked, his voice was one of fear, as not only was the very thing he swore to protect and look after was burning before him, but the fear of someone being trapped within, that made some new fear rise within his aged heart.

Despite the situation and the current events happening, his training as a monk had to let him be calm and collected on the outside, providing a sense of calm air around the others that were panicing, even though in his aged heart, he truly was having his moments of panic. This was easily the worst event that he had seen within his years of living.

"Yes, there were three creatures who entered the tower, they must have been trying to get away from the thunder and rain!"

Cursing lightly to himself as he heard that, he looked at the tower with a heavy heart. While he did hope that the creatures made it out safely, there was just no clear indication they would, as the flames had torn through the entire structure, and the heavy smell of burnt wood and burning metal rushed through their senses.

"Wait, wasn't there that blonde kid also in the tower earlier? I haven't seen him exit it yet!"

With that simple statement, the old monk felt his heart truly cry out for the youth within the burning building. How could he not? A life in which the child dies before the elders, it shouldn't be happening, not to anyone. The brief and vague description that the kimono lady made was also something of note. He knew who it was, as Sarutobi always talked about him and how proud he was of him for letting go of most of the malice the kid held for the people.

There also weren't many blondes within the city. The last blonde child that he saw was nearly two decades ago, when a boy so much like the child barring one or two features came into play, and made a name for himself as being one of the first people to ever clear the Brass Tower and open all seven gates of his inner chakra.

If what was being said was correct, then it meant that not only three creatures in the building, possibly already dead, but also a child, who couldn't be older than six or seven, was burning with them.

Alone, and most probably scared.

_**BOOM** _

_**CRASH** _

Another ground rumbling clap of thunder led to many clapping thier hands over thier ears, lest they could lose some of their hearing. However, when the distinct sound of cracking and crunching managed to worm their way through the slight gaps their hands made, they were met with a sight that would live with them for the rest of their lives, and perhaps in some of the nightmares that would come.

The way that there was a collective gasp of shock and screams of terror and pain was noteworthy, and fit in with what was happening, and no one could blame each other, despite the men being taught that showing emotions that would 'damage' their masculinity, it was a time that this would be forgiven.

The reason being?

The intense heat combined with the sheer amount of damage that was caused by the wooden structure within, simply collapsed in on itself, causing the seventh and six floors to simply fall. Some of the ornaments decorating the outside of the tower that had managed to be saved from the fate of burning into a liquified state fell at frightening pace towards the ground, creating thuds and booms as the various weights of them came crashing down by the sides of the burning building.

**xXx**

"Ow..."

Moaning in agony as he felt his insides flare in pain, which was bringing an unfathomable amount of pain throughout his entire body, his blue eyes scanned around the room, trying to provide some sort of reassurance that he was alive, although, it was near impossible to see even a few feet in front of him due to the dust and smoke that was slowly filling up the room, making it an odd mixture of thin brown, and extremely thick white and it smelt terrible.

He felt an odd sensation, like he couldn't feel his legs, but he shook it off thinking that his body was just trying to recover from the recent fall.

He noticed that the creature that he was carrying seemed to be safe, and was gently licking some of the of the blood off of his arm, and even removing some of the splinters of chipped wood that had managed to lodge into his arm, "Hey, are you alright?" He questioned softly, rubbing the creatures' head, trying to not grimace in pain that he was experiencing after the fall.

"Flar! Flar..."

Hearing the creatures' rather saddened tone, despite the situation they were in, Naruto couldn't help but gently coo towards the creature and continue petting it. If it managed to calm it down, then it was worth it.

Feeling some form of movement against his leg - which oddly enough, he couldn't properly feel - he turned his head to look at what was happening. To his shock, he saw that his legs were buried in the rubble from the fall. Now that he saw it, it was only at that moment he felt it, and it was excruciating.

Words couldn't even describe how he felt. Now he knew why he couldn't feel his legs; he most likely didn't have them anymore, the bones in his legs must have been crushed beyond recognition and mashed into paste.

"Va!"

"Jol! Jolt!"

Feeling his vision becoming weaker and weaker, along with the feeling of complete and utter defeat and realisation set it in; the fact that he would die, not in the embrace of a family, but in the presence of three other creatures that were likely to perish along with him. He finally felt the tears escape his eyes... well try to anyway, the intense heat was making it near impossible for moisture to be in the air or around them.

"I'm... sorry." Naruto muttered out as he gazed towards the creatures that were with him.

With that being said, Naruto felt the rest of his energy deplete, and he could no longer keep himself up as the thick smoke combined with the heat finally got to him.

He closed his eyes for the final time.

Never to open them again.

"Flar?" The creature muttered, her voice weak from the fumes in the air, and despite being a fire type, it wasn't healthy for it to be in such polluted air. As it pawed the extremely pale face of her rescuer, it became more frantic as it couldn't get anything out of him, "Flare! Eon!"

Feeling something within her body that she hadn't felt before for something that wasn't for her sisters, the creature nudged up against the stiff body of the boy, before she came to the realisation that she couldn't feel the most important thing; a pulse.

Even she knew that without a simple thing like a pulse, then it couldn't be alive.

With that realisation, the creature cuddled up towards the boy further. She knew that there was no escaping this, so she would at least die with the person that had tried to save her in the first place, despite the boy having the choice to leave her up on the other floor.

The other two creatures glanced around the building, with a grim look upon their features, as they too realised that there was no escape from this. There was just too much damage, too much molten metal to even begin clawing through. The smoke was creating a thick haze in the air making any attacks near impossible, along with dwindling their line of vision.

Glancing at each other with a few mewls and headshaking, they too made their decision.

They would die with their sister, and with the human that had tried to save her. That way, they could at least find peace with themselves and know that they comforted the boy, even in death.

Limping along to the sides of the boy, the yellow creature cuddled against her sister, who had fear easily shown within her being. Licking along the side of her face, the yellow creature settled down, making sure to lean against her sister, and keeping a paw on the human's face as she settled down for the final time.

The blue creature on the other hand, made her way on the opposite side of her sisters, and rested her chin upon the boy's face, with one paw coming into contact with her red sister, and maneuvering her tail to make contact with her yellow sister.

Shedding but a faint tear, that evaporated in an instant, the creature closed its eyes for the final time.

It hoped that they will receive a quick and painless death, so they could be reunited with the one that tried to save her sister.

With that, the three creatures accepted their fate, allowing themselves to be crushed to death by further debris, and for the building to come down on top of them in a blazing inferno which scorched everything around.

All because they wanted to die together with the boy who gave up his own life in trying to save them, when he could have ignored them and escaped without trying to save them.

**END CHAPTER**

**Alright guys, I hope you liked this chapter. It was rather dark, and I am not used to writing such things.**

**The reason why I didn't specify on the Pokemon, was the fact that I believe that the people of this age didn't know the Pokemon by name - apart from Ho-Oh, Lugia and Zapdos - nor species, with most referring to them as creatures.**

**Considering that he was once human, and is now a powerful Psychic type, he can transform into a human, however, he will have features of his Pokemon form.**

**No lemons between !Pokemon Naruto or the Female Pokemon unless wanted desperately! Limes and Fluff, definately!**

**With how the second generation was, I am having Naruto transform into a Dual Typed Pokemon, which is Dark and Psychic. This is to come into the fact that Naruto still has some darkness and hatred in him, however, his mind is at a higher level thanks to the rebirth.**


	2. The Fallout of the Tower's Descent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The world stood still under the destruction of the once grand tower. In its wake was the crumbling remains of a village and a temple who bared the brunt of the aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, UnknownEnforcer here, and I just want to say that Corvo261 has taken over for this story, writing wise. I am still around, making ideas, reading over it and all of that, it's just that he is taking over the story!
> 
> There will be a lot of changes from what I originally had planned, but that is fine.
> 
> Anways, please do show your support for this story, it will mean a lot to us!
> 
> /x/
> 
> If you are interested in joining the discord server, do feel free to do so! - https://discord.gg/kZ8m7wUcjE

The inferno Seemed to consume the sky as the once majestic tower that pierced the heavens was consumed by the destructive force. The once bronze and brass ornate walls that made up the exterior of the high steeple had fallen in on itself with the brass and bronze melting, pouring off of their sculpted forms onto the ground below, igniting the ground around the building. 

The walls below the steeple had broken down, their once stable walls had begun to crumble under the pressure of the flame. The walls that withheld the flames soon broke apart leaving only the framework of the once beautiful structure with the beast inside revealing its face to the world. The once dark sky was filled with the blackest smoke and a flame that outshined the sun with its might radiating roar that filled the night air. The tower that once represented a sacred journey and tradition to the people of Ecruteak was now a symbol of loss.

The people of Ecruteak were frozen still in shock from the events that had Transpired within such a short period of time. Their once magnificent tower was gone. And in its wake was a roaring storm of flame, fueled by the tragedy held under its crumbling walls. A storm that many of the crowd had just barely avoided being caught in with the old monk Saratobi being the last to leave the building. He ,however, was focused on something else besides the fire that lay in front of him. Looking to his right he spotted his young apprentice, Yusuke, who seemed transfixed on the flame like the rest of the crowd. Realizing that his apprentice wasn’t paying attention to him, he walked closer to him and grabbed his arm firmly.

“Gasp” Yusuke responded in surprise, nearly jumping.

“Yusuke” Saratobi called in a firm voice, quickly catching the attention of the young man. “I need you to get a headcount of the group as soon as possible”. His apprentice stood there for a brief moment before nodding and turning to the large crowd behind him.

“Head count” he shouted, trying to be louder than the inferno that lay behind him. In an instant the once scattered crowd of monks lined up in rows that seemed to span the entire opening that they stood in. All thirty eight of the monks present turned to stare at the young man who called for the role. And with that began an immediate count. 

Yusuke slowly climbed down the ranks, from the grand elder Saratobi, to his advisors, then to the vast array of priests and converts that were in the tower at the time of the lightning strike, each seeming shaken by the recent turn of events. Some were unable to verbally respond to him, causing him to have to shake them out of their stupor.. This issue seemed to be recurring as he continued down the line of heads one at a time. 

The monks were the next group that he counted, each of the once brightly colored outfits that once radiated light, being covered in a gray dusting of ash.. He began slowly as some of the monks were still trying to clear their lungs as many had inhaled some of the smoke that poured from the tower. Many seemed to briefly respond once they were reached. 

The line slowly began to shrink, and before long the line was down to the children that had been witnessed entering the building. This group consisted of seven kids, only two of which were from the monastery.

“Akira” Yusuke called. The boy quickly looked at him, tears streaking down his face.

“Here” the young boy responded, his voice seeming to deteriorate as he struggled to speak.

“Yuuto”

“Here” Another boy responded, his voice slightly deeper than the others.

This only seemed to continue as the five other children were called and answered in kind. That is until a certain name was called

“Naruto” Yusuke called. His voice was as stern as stone, not leaving a single place for any possible mischief . He waited for a moment for any sort of response, but no response greeted him.

“Naruto” He spoke again, louder, thinking that the young boy couldn’t have heard him due the flames behind him that only seemed to grow more intense as time passed. Silence greeted him yet again. This seemed to grab the attention of his superiors and much of the crowd, namely Saratobi who rushed over to his apprentice to see what the commotion was about.

“What seems to be the matter” he spoke, his voice serious as ever with a slight hint of worry behind his breath. The boy paused for a moment before turning to his superior and speaking quietly.

“Sir Naruto is missing.”

“What!”

A sense of dread seemed to fill the air as the two conversed with the crowd intently listening to them. Before either of them could speak again, however, a loud crash was heard as the third floor collapsed.

“Naruto!” Saratobi yelled in anguish. This was when the crowd finally understood the scope of what had happened. The boy had been trapped inside of the building. Their holy tower and along with the boy were a set of eeveelutions who took shelter in the structure.

The structure that was once a symbol of their holy Guardian had been destroyed and in the process has taken the lives of those few who could not escape the collapsing tower. The poor beggar, the trouble maker, the burden on the small village of Ecruteak had been consumed by the beast that consumed the tower along with the three small pokemon that had taken shelter within the now crumbling tower. 

This turn of events had taken a toll on the many who witnessed the tower being consumed by the wave of flames. The face and voice of the lost soul seeming to cry out as became ingrained into the masses minds the horrors of the night carving its way into their hearts as they watch the carnage ensue, unable to put out the flames due to the immense heat that circled around the once magnificent spire that was now reduced to its sturdy frame work.

This infamous moment only seemed to escalate once the flames had destroyed the once ornate well tower. The once gorgeous bell that had adorned the top of the tower soon followed the rest of the structure as with a loud bang the bell had fallen, collapsing all of the floors beneath as the violent rose devoured the brass bell that once defined both the town and its culture. This event seemed to awaken many from their stupor as the crowds began to openly grieve the loss. None however received the news worse than the grand monk Saratobi who had fallen to his knees in despair.

Saratobi was the man responsible for many aspects of the maintenance that took place in the tower, but most importantly he was responsible for the care of the young Naruto, the boy lost to the flame. His once kind and caring face that many had associated with his many charitable works was now broken into a distraught and pained expression. 

He had failed not only his post, but he had failed the boy with the sunstriken smile. The poor innocent boy who once showered those around him with a glowing smile and a sunny demeanor. The boy who smiled brightly towards him and called him grandfather, the one who had caused him so much grief, the one who had desperately needed his help. He had been the last one to exit the building, the one to shut the boy in. He had damned the boy to his fate. In his time of need, he had shut the door in his face, and now this boy with such a bright future was gone. He struggled to even comprehend the magnitude of this loss. That smile and laughter that had seemed to infect the small monastery and the town, even during his worst of pranks, and that radiant smile that always brightened even the worst of days. All of those glorious actions that the young boy had blessed them with would never be seen again, and it was his fault. 

The once smiling youth that had brightened those long days was now a haunting nightmare to the old man, a reminder of his greatest failure. Those once happy memories would always return him to this night, to the very last moment that he had seen the boy, and to the last minute he spent in the tower before the doors were closed.

The very thought The man’s face almost seemed to shrivel up in his realization. Tears that were once on the brink of overpowering the dams that held them back had finally surpassed the emotional barriers that the monk had erected years ago after the passing of his wife.

He failed not only the Pokémon whom he promised help and a home for, but he had also broken the promise to the boy's parents. He had failed to protect his charge and had failed them once again.

The monk who could not protect his own son from the horrors of the world, had failed to protect the boy who had become a second son to him. The once stoic man that was the image of his very belief had finally broken down, his distraught whimpers overshadowed by the cursed wailing flames originating from the tower he had sworn to protect with his life. A tower that was supposed to protect and serve as means of strength for those needing aid. That very thing that he had swore to safeguard with his life from the warring nation that surrounded the poor village. That very structure had destroyed everything that he held dear. And he was left feeling empty in the wake of its combustion. 

The boon of his survival and the possibility of the infinite possibilities of the future only seemed to feel more hollow as the boy was lost to the cycle of the world. This only seemed to make his wails more violent as he struggled to hold himself up. His mouth sore as he struggled to speak even a single word. Not one phrase except for one left his mouth as his life long mission crumbled in front of him as the Red spire screamed in a raging song in front of him.

The other monks soon joined him by his sides and began to help their elder off of the ground. His wailing only seemed to fade as they brought him into a sitting position. As they began to check over the old man he spoke in a subdued tone, one they had never expected to hear from the stoic man that they had worked with for so long.

“Naruto my boy, I-I’m sorry, I’m sorry for everything.” 

With the words finally coming out of his mouth the old man cried in his broken tone. The young boy of sunlight who had shined his light upon them had left him along with the tower. Him and the poor creatures that he had sheltered in the structure were gone. The safe-haven that it once presented was now a hell-scape, that only seemed to louder as the night progressed

The once grand tower that instilled awe and amazement, the sacred tower that had once represented new beginnings and healing had been bastardized into a shell of its former self. The golden tower had become a glowing black menace that devoured all that came near it. An end to all beginnings. A stain upon the ground that would never leave the village. A sign of life's cruelty, an image that would stay with those who bore witness to its destructive furry for the rest of their lives.

The blazing inferno spat soot and debris into the crying sky that brought the flame to life. Said soot seemed to paint the world in a dark glaze of madness. The squealing metal that buckled under the pressure was a Banshee of Terror. A Banshee that would leave nothing but destruction in its wake. A wake that would long outlive the flame that birthed it. 

Said flame would burn into the early morning, leaving the once glorious tower crumpled to the ground similar to that of a sand castle, crushed under the weight of one's foot. The Bell that once adorned the tower had fallen through the center of the structure and laid in a pool of black that was once the floor of the basement of the tower. 

The inferno had spared nothing from its wrath. This included the young boy that had risked his life for the Pokémon that had been trapped with him. Under the rubble that had crushed him and those he tried to save, under that damned beam that had failed under the pressure of the blaze was nothing but a small swirl necklace piece that was disfigured by the flame and a small amount of ash that had blown away in the updraft from the roaring flame.

The symbol of their town had stained the ground with loss and pain. The world had stopped for the villagers as they attempted to piece together what remained of their old lives. The recent events from the previous night stained into their thoughts as they struggled to move past the horrors of the events that razed their very foundations from the ground. 

The once jovial town was now silent in mourning the losses from the previous night. The streets that used to be covered in an uproar of movement and sound were now silent and desolate save for the few who traveled it. The markets once booming with life seemed to have been snuffed out. The children that once played in the nearby field were missing, and the farmers that once worked with a sense of pride had fallen silent in the wake of the previous night. The once lively town was seemingly dead to the world and the monastery held adjacent to the village was worse for wear

The once grand and shining structure was gray and faded. The courtyards that were clean and tended to were replaced with a see of ash, in the place of the shining roof of the holy structure was a gray floor that only seemed to drain the life out of the once bustling monks that walked the grounds. The interior was no better with its lively halls replaced with hollowed voices and stunted movement. The events from the previous night still on their minds as they struggle to rebuild past the violent rose that had taken their guardians home away from them the night prior. The job seemed hopeless. The once invigorated monks seemed downtrodden but still nevertheless worked to repair their destroyed home.

This grey cloud that seemed to swallow the community would eventually pass and the town would begin to recover from the utter annihilation that took their village's grand Spire. Throughout all of the building and the repairing that took place, the many who had witnessed that night had refused to forget the young boy that had once lived in the small town nor the poor Pokémon that were lost in the massacre. This idea soon began to develop into determination as the once downtrodden people who were suffocated had become invigorated. They had finally decided to change their outlook. They would no longer mourn the loss of the four, but instead they would find a way to honor them. This plan that began to grow in the public consciousness was soon stunted once realization struck them. They would need to rebuild their monastery before they could hope to begin work on such a structure.

The once grand structure had received major damage from the inferno, and even as the monks attempted to repair the structure, they were lacking in materials. The once large stockpile they once collected for emergencies had been burned in the explosion and what remained was ash and random pieces of metal scattered across the once sovereign ground. So with heavy hearts and determination an idea was strung upon the monks. A blasphemous idea: They wanted to tear apart the remains of the old tower for resources. What remained of the once imposing structure still retained many of the metals they would need from repairs, namely the brass for the complex architecture that defined the very monastery.

This idea was immediately swatted down by the monks, who refused to dismantle the once grand tower. They had protected and cared for it in their guardians steed and they would not betray them, even if it would cost the entire faith dearly. And thus a feud broke out between the two factions.

The monks wished to retain as much of their home as possible, to the point of leaving the tower in its current state. The masses however wished to use the remains of the once grand tower to increase the rate of repairs and to help clear the large black stain from the village. This is where the debate stood for multiple weeks, as the two groups refused to budge on the matter. Tensions only seemed to rise as the public grew more and more impatient with the monks. The delay had begun to turn for the worst before Saratobi took a stand, one that would divide the once unified monastery.

He was willing to offer one of the components of the once large bell tower so long as the brass and bronze would be used for an order of the temples choosing. This seemed to satisfy a majority of the public who wished to see some form of action involving the tower, even if it wasn’t to the scale they hoped for. The various monks who had spent so long defending the sacred remains of the tower from the public ire were livid with this decision, namely Yusuke. 

How could his master make such a decision without any of their input being considered. Why would he of all people be willing to allow their once sacred tower to be desecrated by these low lives no less. What was he not seeing? Yusuke was not the only one who seemed to question this decision.

This turn of events was a surprise to many of the monks who would have never considered Saratobi to be one for compromise, much less anything involving their Guardian, and yet here he was, allowing the sacred bell that was used to signal the arrival of the Guardian to be tarnished by these people. All that they could do was trust the old man and pray that his decision was wise, as many had noticed that ever since the death of the young beggar, he seemed much more sentimental than he once was. Rarely leaving his room in the monastery, instead praying nonstop, except when eating and sleeping. Even then his sleep was not of any help. 

Every night they could hear the Grand monk weeping for the loss of the young boy. This only seemed to put the monks more on edge. 

The crowd on the other hand were ecstatic. They finally had the chance to make something from the brass, even if it was only for the temple.

Saratobi on the other hand seemed to be contemplating something. His mind constantly turning back the four souls that were lost to the flames. His mind still unable to comprehend the magnitude of such a loss. Part of him begged for the thought to leave him, so that he could find peace for his failures. This peace he sought only seemed to elude him as he searched for something, anything that could help him to make amends for his failures. How could he make it up to the four. He had thought about the idea since the fire and could only find one possibility that could work.

A monument, something to commemorate their lives. Something to honor them. That seemed to be the only method that he knew of, and he knew exactly how to do it. He had already spoken to some of the crowd members prior to this meeting to try and understand their reasoning for wanting the metal from the tower. 

Once he realized that their goals were in the same intent, he decided to take the risk and take some of the metal to be made into something to remember those for. He refused to forget them. And neither did the villagers.

They would always remember those lost to their hubris, their names would not be forgotten, and the bell that once donned the top of the spire would be used to make them something magnificent. 

The boy and Pokémon that faded away in the tragic event would be remembered in more ways than just name. They would build a mural out of the bell.

A mural to the lost souls of the golden spires.

After several days the beginning of the project took place with the party first needing to retrieve the bell from the basement of the tower.

This process took hours as they moved the large bell from the all consuming void of black soot. The bell would be slowly craned out of the tower via a system of pulleys where it would be tenderly laid upon a large cart pulled by any equine Pokémon that the village could muster. Said Pokémon pulled the once glowing bell to the towns black smith where their work would truly begin.

The initial design for the mural was created by the monks of the village, consisting of a plaque that would be placed at the entrance of the compound. This plan for the mural was not popular with the masses who wished for something much grander in scope. They were not the only ones to disagree as Saratobi placed a second design down for the order. He wanted something that would remind people of the four lost souls instead of a simple plaque that anyone could walk by without noticing it. One that would be created in the image of the young boy and the three eons. He wanted a statue.

This idea was almost immediately opposed by the other monks of the shrine who believed that said statue was unnecessary, as the brass that would be used on said statue could, instead, be used for the creation of another tower. This stance seemed to be shared by a majority of the higher ranking monks, but not necessarily the younger converts. Many of this group wanted something far grander for the memorial. Something that would help them to remember the young boy. This only seemed to cause a rift within the temple as the once united faith became divided. The subject matter would be argued for many a day as The elder monks refused to budge on the design. Eventually though, the other monks relented thanks to the support of the locals and the younger majority in support of the statue. The statue that they had wanted so badly would be made, and it would be in the image of the young boy and the three Pokémon who were lost to the destructive flames. 

The destruction of those flames had scarred many of the residents and harmed many during the events of that night. Flames are by nature destructive, but that does not mean that they can’t be used to begin again. This philosophy was in many ways true as the very element that had killed the poor souls was now being used to create the grand statues in their memory. 

Said statue would be a large undertaking by both the Sculptors and the Blacksmiths of the village due to the scale and complexity. The large form for the metal would take several weeks alone to complete due to the arduous task of forming and shaping the figures of the small boy and the three eons. This struggle did not deter them from pouring their hearts and souls into the creation that they wished for the world to view. They would see to the statues being the grandest creation that they ever conceived. 

And it was.

The statue consisted of four figures. There was the small fire fox that stood in front of the three in a protective stance, there was the Vaporeon that lay at the legs of the young boys legs, and there was the Jolteon who sat by his side with one of it’s paws laying on the boys legs. Then there was the boy’s statue

It stood at four feet five inches with his hands placed in his pockets. His clothes consisted of the rags that he wore. His body was adorned with a replica of his necklace and a hand full of small braided necklaces that were woven by the children in the village. None of these things compared to the expression painted across his face. Where the three Pokémon seemed to only have a blank face, The boy's smile was present in all of its glory. The sunny smile shining brightly. The beaming light from his smile only seemed to draw more and more attention to the memorial as the many viewed it. 

The Blacksmith and metal sculpture had put the rest of the village's actions to shame. The statues were an exact replica of the “four lost souls of the gilded tower", as they were called by the locals. This shining reminder glowed in the light of the morning sun, almost like a beacon of hope. A symbol that would never be forgotten, a symbol of life and hope. A hope that one day the boys smile could shine upon the small village once again.

This dedication and prayer brought many to the village. From small traders and bands of travelers, to traveling monks who sought refuge in the monastery; but none could compare to the god of the village.

On a crisp morning while the many monks worked in the monastery, The Elder Saratobi was alone in his quarters. He was in the midst of a prayer to the Legendary for whom the village worshiped. A being known for new beginnings, a being known to instill hope onto those who witnessed its presence. 

He had constantly been praying over the village and for the safety of his people, as he has always done, but as of recent he had begun to ask for something for himself. Something that he could not leave with the destruction of the holy Tower. He prayed for Naruto. The young boy who haunted his dreams every night. The young boy whose very name brought him tears. He prayed for the one who he had failed. He prayed for forgiveness and prayed for the safety of the young boy he had lost to the cruel world. He prayed for the three eeveelutions that he had invited into the tower. He asked for their forgiveness and begged for their safe travel to the other side. He continued to pray for these many different reasons, and would have continued, if his prayers hadn't been answered.

That morning whilst in the middle of his prayer, a loud swoon could be heard from outside, a sound that he hadn’t heard in countless years. He at first believed that he was imagining the noise as the once majestic tower that the deity would stand upon had disappeared from the world. The grand spire that their guardian had roosted upon was destroyed, and in its place was nothing but pillars that framed the large structure. Their guardian would not take purchase to such a sorry thing, much less to a lack of offerings. That couldn’t have been their guardian he assured himself, but then he heard it again.

_“Hooooooooooooo”_

That cry could not be confused for anything other than the protector. She had returned, but the question was why. Why did the legendary return to the village? What could she possibly want with them. The only thing that came to mind was.

“The Tower!” He yelled to himself in realization.

He quickly grabbed his things and went to leave before he noticed a small glimmer on his desk. The small necklace that he had held onto. The swirl that the young boy who shined light on his day left behind. He shuddered at the thought, but nevertheless decided to grab it before rushing out of the front of the monastery building into the courtyard where spotted her Majestic Rainbow Bird, Ho-Oh. She flew from overhead trailing a soft colorful trail of energy from behind her. With that stream came an influx of growth in the plants and wildlife around her. 

The trees grew more lush and bore more fruit, the flowers began to bloom and the remaining soot in the area almost seemed to vanish, being replaced by a glittering sheen that brought new life with it. All of this growth seemed to create a path leading to the broken form that once acted as a home for the legend. 

He ran along this thriving path with all of his strength, struggling to remain balanced as he pushed with everything he had to meet his god at its roost. The lush foliage that painted the once dead landscape seemed to strengthen his stride as he soon began to outpace the other monks who had managed to get out of the monastery before him. He flew past them in a blur, leaving nothing but a swift wind behind him, catching many of the other monks off guard. They had never expected the old monk to be capable of such feats. His stride held the whole way there as the crowd that had begun their trek to the ruins were left in dust. His stride was soon rewarded and as he was at the base of the rubble. The steeple that sat atop the rubble that seemed to be only partly secure since the fire. In many regards it was a miracle that the steeple stood at all. The steeple was a moot point in comparison to was mounted upon it. 

The steeple held a grand figure of all colors, one whose body seemed to hold the wonders behind the rainbow in the post stormy skies. Its body seemed to radiate energy and conjure a sort of elegance that none could hope to match. Its wings, radiant red and green, tipped with a grandeur of gold that would outshine the once beautiful steeple that it stood upon were wrapped around its form, as it looked around the rubble of its once grand home. Its piercing eyes only seemed to strike those who looked at them still in aw as its majesty stood upon the remains. The owner of the tower, their guardian, had returned to find its home destroyed and its temple divided. 

This seemed to have peaked the interest of the holy bird as it looked down upon Saratobi and the other monks who had just barely made it to the tower before they had spotted the grand legend. Immediately they began to bow down before the deity who watched after them. Saratobi, however, continued to stand where he stopped. He continued to stare up towards the glorious beast that stood upon the steeple that seemed to call out in a somber call. 

This action caught the many monks off guard, they had never heard their fair maiden cry out in such a manor. This cry, a song of Mourning that seemed to still the very air around them, they could have never imagined that their god would make such a call. That the village that they served, that the temple that they served could have ever caused their master to cry out into such a low wail of sorrow. The villagers who were unaware of the significance of the song simply stood there. The song brought the rest of village to a standstill before the many of the villagers, young and old who had yet to see the legend began to descend upon the once glorious tower.

Soon the village stood upon the burnt soil, watching in silence as the elegant creature continued to sing its song of mourning, tears pouring down its face as its woes became known to the many who bared witness to the song. Something had upset the phoenix, something had pushed her to the point of tears and a sorrowful mourning cry, but the question was what. What could have possibly brought such an old creature to tears. This thought seemed to permeate through the crowd who stood awestruck at the being that lay in front of them, whose sorrows lay witness to. 

The song continued for what seemed like an eternity with its audience silenced by the tones of the legend that produced them. Then it slowly faded into the air before it finally stopped, and all the village and forest that lay adjacent to the tower was silent. Then before the many eyes that bared upon the phoenix, the god leaped from its once golden roost to the ground in front of the monks. Said monks almost jumped from the impact that the creature made upon the ground they had kneeled upon. The once silent and mournful air that held the breaths of the large crowd was now replaced with one of anxiousness. What could their deity want, what could they have done to gain the ire of such a creature.

Before the question could be asked the Grand Monk began to slowly approach the legend. His pace slow but steady as he walked with a heart broken expression written upon his face. The man's arms that once held firm under the strain of his post and his warm smile that greeted the many travelers who would commune with him were replaced with frail twigs and a frown made of dark clay. His movements heavy and shaky as he inched closer. The crowds watched with bated breath, while the monks that once supported the man and followed his every whim began to curse him. 

What gave him the right to stand in the presence of the god, their ray of new life and hope. Who did this monk think he was to walk in her presence, much less approach her with such a sour expression, but still they held their tongues. They would not make the same mistake that their fool of a leader had. 

This train of thought soon ended once the old man was almost a foot away from the holy Phoenix in front of them. The air seemed to thicken in the presence of these two’s approach, but before any of the onlookers could respond, the old monk closed the distance between the two and wrapped his arms around her neck, then to the shock of everyone present he began to weep into her side. The worried onlookers stood stone cold with the only sound being the wails of the once unshakable monk. He was not the only one to cry, the deity that he held began to weep once more, her head hanging over his shoulder and her once shining wings dimmed into a hollowed light as they wrapped around the old man's body. 

The duo stood there in front of the crowd for what seemed like hours, as the old man cried out his eyes, the phoenix attempting to comfort the old man that had served her for many years. The man seemed unresponsive to the attempts as his crying only seemed to continue. His grip only tightened as his heart sang out. The god could only hold him closer as he continued. His cries slowly began to change to slurred words, ones that she couldn’t hope to understand. That was until he eventually stuttered out a name in a whimpering voice.

“Naruto”

The boy who haunted him, who had always wanted to see the Goddess that was wrapped in his arms, the one who never left his mind still plagued him with misery. Here he was, holding the very creature that had held the boy's interest for many an hour. Between his arms and wrapped around him was a being that the boy would never get to see. Another stab through his heart. 

The Rainbow winged divine being seemed to squeeze him harder in an attempt to comfort the poor man as it struggled to stop the tears pouring from its own eyes. 

After a short while the old man slightly pushed his left hand onto her chest plumage. A request for her to let him, a request that she answered as she released him. After a brief pause she looked directly into the old monk’s eyes with an expecting look. She wanted to know what could have possibly made the once jolly man that had always greeted her with a smile and praise so distraught. 

The man sighed tiredly and thus he began to spin the tragic tail of the young beggar, and the Pokémon’s last hours. The storm that had destroyed her home and taken so much from the community that had always praised her name. And through it all his voice remained a constant low as he retold the night that brought sleepless night and terror to the village that witnessed it. The horror that had plagued them seemed to be such a short occurrence, and yet it only appeared more heartbreaking as the old man who had held this community together struggled to speak of his griefs. The unshakable man that the flames had destroyed, his tired and weary lips spoke only of the tears that the monks failed to see. He spoke of the loss of not only the boy, but of the failings on his part. A tail that only seemed to pull more life from the man as he spoke. 

Once his story was finished, the man seemed to slouch over in an exhaustive manor. His eyes seemed to dull but nevertheless he pressed on. He slowly began to collect his thoughts as Ho-oh continued to stare at him with undivided attention. As he regained what bearings he could, he reached into his right pocket and pulled out the small crest from the fire, holding it flat against his palm. He slowly leaned forward and asked for Ho-oh’s wing. She obliged, offering her left wing.

He gently grabbed the glistening wing with both hands softly petting her wings softly as he began to speak.

“Ho-oh, for many a year I have served under you and protected this shrine with everything that I could. And yet, I have never asked you for anything, I have never once requested anything in return.” He spoke in an almost serene tone even as his voice began to break under the emotional strain. “Well, I guess what I am trying to say is that I have a request for you.” He spoke in a stutter. His words seemed to fail him as he struggled to speak. “ The young boy that we lost, him and those poor creatures that he died with, I wanted you to see to it that they remained safe. Even if it is in the afterlife.” 

The man was struggling to stand as he spoke, his body crumbling under the strain as he continued to keep his eyes forward. 

“Their lives were taken from them before they could even begin, and the pain and misery that followed shouldn’t have been what they left here with.” He seemed to almost collapse, having to lean on the outstretched wing, but never breaking eye contact with the Goddess.

“I know I am asking a great deal of you, but as my only request, please see to it that they receive something better than what they were dealt.” He spoke in a faint tone as he began to open his hand revealing to the legendary the small medallion that he had retrieved from the fire.

“I have one other favor to ask you before you go. When you see Naruto make sure to give this to him. It came from a necklace that belonged to his mother.” He almost seemed to smile as he said that last part. 

His eyes were dim, but that smile that he shined on her was the brightest that she had seen. She slowly began to wrap her wing around the small piece of metal as the old Monk began to lift himself off of her wing and up righted himself. And with that, he thanked her and ever so slowly walked away from her, never losing that smile

With a small nod and a loud cry she flew off and circled the tower in her living aura that graced the path she flew previously. Almost seeming to pour that energy into the basin at the bottom of the tower, covering it in a glittering sheen that seemed to speak life into the very air of the now deserted tower. This wonderfully sorrowful act however was missed by the village that had congregated around the old monk who was struggling to hold himself steady. Before anyone else could speak to the old man, his Apprentice, Yusuke, took center stage with a vengeance. His normal composed and meek stance had been replaced with that of outrage and betrayal. He walked towards his old master, every step only seeming to make him seethe more as he went. He soon stood face to face with his master, who was struggling to stand. He had waited for a brief moment so that his master could catch his breath. Then he began

“Are you that senile you old coot, you should have asked the Guardian to help us!” Yusuke shouted as the crowd began encircling the two. “We are struggling just to make ends meet with all of the income from the tower being lost to the fire. We needed that aid more than they possibly could!” The young monk yelled, his anger only seeming to grow as he spoke to his old teacher.

The old man looked at him for a moment. His meek student had finally decided to stand up to him. The building tension between the two had finally come to a head as his once faithful student stared him down with a large hateful glare. His blue hair covering part of his face, shadowing his hardened eyes. This only seemed to confuse his master more. That was until his students' words finally registered. Never once had he raised his voice, never once had he questioned his master’s methods, and yet at his weakest moment his student finally lost his temper. It was ironic in many ways. The irony was not lost on his master His master looked on in bewilderment and began to laugh as he began to cough roughly with each shake of his chest.

“Seems that you still have yet to learn such a simple lesson old boy.” He spoke in an almost serene voice as he struggled to catch his breath. “We will survive this, the same way that we have our past. This struggle will not destroy us.” He spoke in a more confident tone. As his smile began to become more sorrowful. 

“Yeah, well how are we going to fix any of this!” His student exclaimed in anger. “We might be able to scrape through this year, but what about next year, and the year after that!” he continued as he slowly began to get louder and louder. We don’t have any guarantee for the future, what the hell are we supposed to do n…”

“Enough!” Interrupted Saratobi in a more aggressive manner.” It may look bleak now, but as long as we have faith we will be fine. Money has never been in our favor even before this happened.” He finished in a stricter tone as he hunched over in pain, his cough returning as his breaths became more labored.

“I swear, ever since you brought in that beggar boy you have lost all of your sense when it comes to the state of our estate!” he spoke in a condescending tone, his composure long since destroyed. “In case you have forgotten that brass that you wasted on that damned statue could have been used to help rebuild the spire for our Guardian!” His once steady voice slowly turned into hysterics as he spoke. He refused to look at his teacher any longer before continuing. “It could have been built long before she showed up again, but no, you had to have that statue for that damned beggar!”

“You can’t possibly mean that! That young boy has never wronged us!”

“Oh really, then do you mind explaining why ever since that pest came to our monastery our donations have been coming up short in comparison to the years prior!”

The Older man remained silent as his student stood up and stared him down. Instead he averted his eyes in pain and grasped his chest in pain. But his student failed to notice this action as he continued his rant.

“And another thing…” His student ranted, ready to continue their shouting match. His eyes watering as his emotions began to get the better of him. He turned back ready to spout those hateful daggers at his master, but he couldn’t.

Before the old student could continue his attack, the old man collapsed. His heart, heavy with grief, couldn't handle this last betrayal and had begun to fail. His last moments had been met with an attack on his character, and a betrayal that left his soul heavy. That was what he would leave the world with. The grand monk that had built the very basis for the temple and the peoples relationship had finally passed from mortal toil with his students hateful words being the dagger that pierced his heart. This reality his student would have to live with, the fact that those would be the last words he would say to his Father figure, but his father’s last request would be played out; even if it would not be in the manner that was intended.


	3. An Oath To Keep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am glad that you guys are enjoying this x) It means a lot. Once again, thanks to Corvo261 for writing this and taking over in that department.
> 
> Don't be afraid to comment on this story! We don't bite xP
> 
> /x/
> 
> Discord link - https://discord.gg/kZ8m7wUcjE

In the air high above the tower was Ho-oh, watching the last moments of her most faithful follower, his last request at the front of her mind. She had to find the four that he wished for her to protect. Using the medallion that he gave her, she began to try and track the aura that once surrounded the small heirloom. 

She was surprised to find that the source was still in the tower. With that revelation fresh in her mind, she immediately circled the old tower once more. Her eyes focused on the remains of her home and she took a moment to observe the remains. The once grand roof that she had stood upon was nothing but charred rubble and broken tiles. The ornate sculptures that lined the four corners of the roof had become disfigured, or had fallen into the flames that brought upon this state. The bright blue tiles that lined the roof were cracked and scattered across the space and the rafters that once held them were exposed. The sturdy wood had managed to survive the flame, but the coming storms would soon break off the remains. The gold lining that covered the center of the roof had been the only thing left untouched by the flame. Its glistening glory only wasted on the remaining tiles that had somehow held together despite the immense heat. She circled again looking for the entrance she had once used to escape the rains that had plagued this area for many a year. The outcrop she was looking for was long since gone, as the platform that once stood was torn from the wall that once held it, the only sign of it having existed were the splintered boards that strutted out of the floor framework. She looked for the onning that once donned the outcrop, but all she could find was the supports that had melted off of the tower. That was the only entrance she could spot, since the rest were either too small, or too unstable from the broken supports. Deciding that she should look for a better view she flew towards the shattered entrance. the opening that she once used to enter the tall structure was in ruins

The entrance had been completely destroyed. The door frame, although still together had been charred pitch black, the once red wood floors had been turned dark as coal with many of the boards missing from the once grand woodwork. The murals and tapestry that had once lined the walls was replaced with a horrid gray, and large clumps of metal that had pooled at the base of the walls. The grand entrance she had known had been devoured by the flames, and the birth of what looked to be a nightmare was what met her eyes. Left and right she looked, the ash piled as high as the roof at every turn and the floors seemed to creek under her. This floor would not last the winters to come, much less another rainstorm. All of this left her uneasy as she began to search around. 

She was looking for the stairwell to the lower floors, since she could not find anything on the ninth floor, of which she currently resided. The next floor wasn’t much better. 

The once ornate architecture that had lined the walls with maps and arcanine sculptures had been transmogrified into a hell-scape covered in faces. The once vicious heads that lined the four corners of the room had become deformed, the eyes of the infamous beast had melted, creating streaming brass that leaked from the sockets that once held them. The walls and maps that lined them had become dark gray from the ash that had once resided against the walls. The light that shined through the cracked walls only seemed to shine on the deformed faces that once lined the tapestries of the ornate room, and due to the metallic nature of the structures that lined the walls, the light only seemed to reflect off of the multiple corners of the room. The eyes on the wall only seeming to become more noticeable the longer she resided on the floor. This only made her wish to get out of the floor sooner. So after a brief look around she found the stairwell and continued down the falling tower.

She continued this trend as the rooms below only seemed to become more and more distorted. The grand and welcoming decor that had lined the structure had been warped by the flames, or completely destroyed, leaving nothing but the shattered structure of the spire that had pierced the heavens. So with each floor she had to remain more and more weary. These floors would not stand for much longer, and she knew that if she took too long, then she would be crushed under the scorched framework that remained. So with her mindset and determination pumping through her veins, she continued her trek through her old home. 

Floor after floor she looked and yet it almost seemed that the floors were endless as the once lively rooms were now replaced with pitch black shadows that seemed to consume any and all life within them. Floor after floor she searched, looking for any sign of the lost souls. This trend continued on for many floors. Nevertheless she continued.

For what felt like hours she had looked, but the souls only seemed to evade her as she traversed the shell of a grave. This only seemed to dishearten her as the more she traveled through the tower, the less she believed that she could find the lost boy and the three pokemon. This recurrence would soon change. 

Just as she had decided to turn back and look elsewhere she spotted something strange. In the corner of what used to be the third floor was what looked to be a slight faded light that barely shined in the all encompassing darkness that devoured the room. The light had caught her off guard. How could she have missed such an obvious sign. She was caught in her own thoughts for a minute as she continued to stare at the dim light in front of her.

The light was flickering, seeming to only weaken the longer she stood there. Before long the light had dimmed to the point of revealing the faded figure that had emitted the light. She slowly began to approach the figure huddled in the corner before spotting something strange.

The figure was surrounded by three smaller figures that were huddled around it. Upon closer investigation, the figures seemed to have taken smaller forms, just short of two feet eight inches. They were resting on their stomachs around the figure. One was shaded blue, one was red, and the third was a bright yellow. The colors only seemed to confirm her theory as more details were revealed. 

She had found them. She had found the lost souls.

She almost jumped for joy in celebration, but before she could she began to notice something quite worrisome. The larger figure seemed to be shaking in the chilling air that consumed the once lush room. Its once grand light only seemed to fade the more it shaked. The other three seemed to take notice of this as they soon began to pull themselves closer to the taller figure. It seemed to slump lower against the ground as the three figures began to crawl onto it. 

The red one chose to take its lap, the yellow one took the left side, and the blue one took the right side.This action caused the shaking to lessen, but not completely stop it. Before long the three began to try to fully encompass the fading light, wrapping themselves further around the light in what looked to be an attempt to comfort it. The shaking figure soon wrapped itself further around them, looking to take better care of them, rather than itself. This action caused the slumped over light to reveal what looked to be a set of hands and arms that wrapped around the other three. This seemed to confirm her suspicions.

This strange figure had to have been the small boy, and the other three must have been those three eons. They must have been pretty close if they had decided to stay by the boy even after death. It was touching in many ways, but from the steadily decreasing state of the young boy’s light she didn’t have much time to simply watch, so with bated breath, she began to approach the four.

She took the first step 

_**Creeeeaaaaaaaaaaak** _

She froze still, looking to see if they had noticed her. At first she assumed that they must not have since they hadn’t jumped at her yet, so she slowly continued to move towards them. Once she was less than four feet away from what could only be called a mound of foxes, her hypothesis had been proven wrong as the trio were soon upon her. 

The red spirit had turned towards her and began to emit a low groan that seemed to send low shivers down her spine as she stopped at the threat. The others soon followed suit.

The other two were much more direct in their approach, as the blue and yellow spirits had begun to flare up, their lights seeming to roar in a violent flame as they had jumped off of the young soul. Their once pitiful exteriors were replaced with rage as they stood ready to defend the young boy with everything that they had.

Had it not been for the fact that they could not touch her, she might have felt threatened, but nevertheless she had their attention. She had found the three and the young Naruto that the late Sarutobi had asked her to find. Now she needed to find a way to help them.

The trio that had surrounded her were about to pounce until with a simple motion, the legendary silenced them with a pulse of her power. She did not have much time to do what she planned. If she waited too long then she might not be able to keep that promise she made to the old man. She needed to subdue them before they hurt themselves or worse hurt the boy. So with a heavy heart, she began to prepare herself for what might transpire and began her approach towards the young boy, but the attack never happened. It seemed that the three had realized who she was as they began to follow closely behind her. Once she was right next to the boy she began to realize something troubling. 

The boy’s soul was beginning to fade away. Something must have been taking energy away from his very being. Something had to have been affecting the poor soul. The source of this was unknown but it was definitely taking effect. The soul had begun to shrink in on itself, the light that it once produced constantly been fading, but now there was no light being emitted. The figure of the young boy was almost unrecognizable at this point. No color shined through the figure. Something has been draining his energy for a while now, and considering the state the boy’s soul was in he wouldn’t be here for much longer.

She needed to act fast if she wanted to save him. And the only option was going to be tricky. The trio surrounding her wouldn’t budge. They stood on guard for her to act. They didn’t trust her and would likely attack her if she attempted to save the boy, So the only option was to try to convince them that she had good intentions.She turned to the trio of Eons that had been sheltering their charge, and she made offer that none of them could have expected was offered.   
She offered them a second chance at life. A second chance to live with the young boy that had died trying to protect them. A second chance for a better life, a chance to finally live instead of just surviving.

They were speechless to say the least. The deal almost seemed too good to be true, something had to be up with this deal. What was the catch, what was the big downside to such a thing. What could this legend possibly gain from such an action. Before they could ask however, Naruto’s soul seemed to flicker again, and the air around them seemed to grow colder as his shivering only grew worse. They didn’t really have much of a choice at this point. If they wanted to protect the boy, they would have to accept. So with a nod from each of them, they came to a decision. They would accept the deal if it meant that the boy would be safe.

Ho-oh quickly gave a positive, before she turned back to the shivering form behind them. She needed to hurry, so she stepped closer and asked the Flareon to move from his lap. Once she did the process then began with Ho-oh beginning to absorb the damaged soul of the boy in front of her, shocking the three who witnessed the action. 

The process started with her aura shooting out of her body and encompassing the soul in front of her. His form seemed calm as the aura warmed him. Then his form began to break down. What once stood as a bipedal figure started to fold in on itself, its body seemingly turning into dust as it formed into a glowing ball of gold light. Before long, all that was left was the glowing orb that stood where the boy once was. Then Ho-oh wrapped her wings around the ball of light and pulled it into her chest, absorbing it into her being. 

This action seemed to disturb the trio who watched as the boys had been consumed by the legendary. They were about ready to attack the legend before she turned to them with a calm look and spoke

“Do not fear, I am simply collecting his soul so that it can begin to repair itself.” She spoke in almost sweet singing swoon. This seemed to have calmed them for the time being. Ho-oh after seeing their response began to walk towards them and spoke to them once more. “I need to do the same to you so that we can begin the process of creating each of you a new body.”

The others seemed to pause at that statement. They looked at each other for a moment before the Vaporeon stepped forward. Volunteering to be the first of the three to be absorbed. The others watched with anticipation as their sister seemed to fade into a silvery mist before flying towards Ho-oh and being absorbed into her body. 

The two left were wary, but they shortly approached Ho-oh. Jolteon was next, she walked right in front of Ho-oh and proceeded to sit in front of her with a slight shiver in her form. Soon that shiver left as she was brought into Ho-oh’s being like the rest of them. All that was left was the Flareon who had laid where she once stood. Her very being seemed to experience a wave of exhaustion as before long her eyes began to close on her. Then a bright light, then nothing, but a warmth that surrounded her, then she finally fell asleep, for the first time in what felt an eternity. 

The task was finished, all that was left was for Ho-oh to find a good place to rest for the time being. So with a sigh of relief she began her ascent from the base of her tower. She needed to get out of the area soon if she wanted to continue her plan by the end of the day. Step 2 of this plan was to find a place for them to stay for the rest of their term. She needed to find a place where she could find food and water easily without being at risk of attack, at least until her new charges could fend for themselves. She needed to try and head Southward since the area would be still due to the recent storm front that hit the area. Nothing was likely to look for them as they would be too busy looking after themselves and recovering from the damages to their homes to look for her. Besides that the debris might make a good nest. So with her mind set, she flew out of the top of the tower and flew towards the Southwest. 

She had taken to the skies and pushed herself to get away from the human populations. She hoped to find a nesting location as soon as she could, and prayed that she could avoid any conflict that may come her way. She wished the souls a good rest as the coming years would be tough on the poor lost souls. Many challenges would await the trio and their new companion, and they would have to be taught many things before they would be ready to face the world. This would have to wait until later, as of now they were a part of the legendary that had shown them mercy.

The spirits were not dormant like the legendary thought they would be. Said legendary did not mention how long this process would take, so after trying to find each other in the strange space, they decided to rest for the first time in forever, huddled around the young boy that protected them, and they weren’t planning on going anywhere anytime soon. 

Vaporeon would stay by his side till the end of time for as long as she had him, she would endure it. Just for him, and her sisters agreed wholeheartedly, so with that last thought they wrapped themselves around the boy and slept. Cuddling their friend in the void they found themselves in as the sound of a heartbeat lulled them to sleep

In the world of the living Ho-oh had begun to leave the village , but as she was about to pass the border into the forests, she noticed a strange glint on the ground, so with a single beat of her wings she thrusted herself into the air towards the strange object. She arrived at it in an instant, landing with all the grace of an angel as she began to lean down to gain a closer look at what had peaked her interest.

* * *

What laid upon the ground, slightly covered in dirt, was what seemed to be a small piece of an old metal scabbard shining in the midday sun. Upon this scabbard piece was what looked to be a swirling pool of sorts, one that brought an almost nostalgic memory to the front of her mind. 

A memory of a young hero who had defied fate for the safety of his family, A memory of love and hope, one of dreams lost and a hope for tomorrow. The story of a man that had saved her life from the wars that scattered across the lands. She seemed to freeze in this reminiscent state for what seemed a brief moment, before she reached down and began to pull the small glimmering metal out of the ground, but as she did, more seemed to follow the small piece that she had pulled. Before long she had pulled a full blade out of the soil.

The blade was a 3ft broadsword, with a warped cross guard hilt. The grand spiraling symbol is present on every aspect of the blade, from the hilt to a press stamped mark at the base of the sword, above the hilt. The blade, a dual sided dark gray with small warped spots spread across the blade, was clearly used in many battles. The dents and the state of the chipped guard were proof enough of that. There was no doubt in her mind that this was a blade of grave importance, but that only seemed to re-establish her previous questions.

What had this sword been doing here of all places? Why would his sword be left in such a state, after everything that he had done for not only her, but also for the village. What could have possibly been the reason for such a dishonorable act towards said hero. Why would such an important blade, what looked to be an heirloom at that, be left in the middle of the forest?

These thoughts plagued her as she looked around the area a second time. She could not find any clue as to why this sword was left here. There was no shrine, no memorial, no grave. This had to be a grave of some sort for this sword to be here, and yet, nothing. Nothing was around the sword, no headstones, no signs, no structure of any kind that would suggest this sword’s location. And yet she had somehow come upon it. That seemed to trouble her the most. Out of all the details, why had she been the one to find it? She slowly began to dig around the location of the sword, hoping for some sort of hint, anything that could have hinted as to why it was here. As she dug through the dirt, she noticed a large black object that seemed to stretch a couple of feet. She had found something.

She continued to try and pull through the dirt, in an attempt to determine why this was her. Her talons seemed to graze through the dirt in search of the source of their placement. Before long she had found four rows of them. Each row came together to create a large square with a large gap in between one of the rows. This made no sense, why would these things be here, what purpose did they suit. She was puzzled for a moment, she knew there was some significance to it but she could not tell what. That was until she looked back at the black rows that boxed in the area. Before long she had noticed that one of the many pieces had been broken in half. So she decided to move the pieces apart to see what they were. A tar black grain was what met her. Then it struck her. The sword wasn’t abandoned here. No, the sword layed here, not out of disrespect, but instead as the remains of a structure.

This had been a house of some sort. Things only seemed to pile on from there. The sword seemed to have more importance than she first thought, but for what that importance was, she was unsure. For now all she knew was that the structure had disappeared, and with it any chance of finding the young man who had saved her all those years ago. The idea seemed to haunt her as she was consumed by grief. The grief only grew the moment she pulled out the pendent that her follower had given her. The symbol on it matched the one on the blade. The two of them had to be related in some way. And yet, neither were of any use to her at this point. They were more or less memorabilia at this point. Something of significance that had the last of their meanings except for the emotional aspect. She was at a dead end, and her last lead was dead and gone. Her follower was dead and the faith that he once led had turned their back on him as well. She could do nothing but fester in her own self loathing as her thought soon turned more aggressive that is until a presence made itself known.

As her mind wandered, a figure stood under the trees’ cover, hidden from her eyes. He had been watching her for a while, but his intentions were vague. His visage of shadows only seemed to fade as he grew closer to her,then he moved closer. He moved up to the mourning creature and began to attempt to sooth her. This seemed to catch her off guard, but just as she turned to look at this guest, he was gone, but that soothing feeling remained. Whoever it was had good intentions, but they refused to be seen. She looked around, hoping to find the source of the sensation, but she soon noticed that a large sum of time had passed. Then it hit her.

She had wasted all of this time with her, and yet she still needed to find someplace to stay. She didn’t have time to dwell on such thoughts, not now. So with a heavy heart she grabbed the blade and flew towards the mountains on the horizon, far from any human settlements with one goal in mind. To create a nest for the young that she would bring into the world. 

As she flew, the thought still remained in the back of her head. Who was that presence, and why were they there of all places? These problems only seemed to irk her more as she flew. Something didn’t add up, but she was nowhere near a solution as to what. For now all she could do was fly south and hope for the best.

For what felt like hours she flew southward in search of some sort of safe haven, but time and time again she found only problems. She was unaware of the magnitude of human civilizations southward of her home. Countless towers and walls. Kingdoms scattered across the horizon and lakes and rivers consumed by boats and docks. For every lake and river she came upon, there was a human settlement. Then she came upon a mountain. The hours of flight had left her exhausted, but she didn’t have a choice but to keep going. This spread of civilization seemed to avoid the pond that was near the mountain, and the mountain as a whole. No sign of civilization in sight, so with that, she decided to investigate. Maybe she had found something.

As she approached, the mountain seemed to grow into a glowing tower with a paved bath to what could only be considered a heavenly portal as the clouds bent around the point of the large stone spires. A glowing gold glaze reflecting from the white paved snow that circled the spire that seemed to pierce the glowing sky that lay above it. A sky that shined a gold sheen of awe and wonder. Under the golden fortress was a small basin laid at the base of the imposing white paved fortress that laid in the skyline. 

She began to fly downward towards the small cove that had formed between the Base of the mountain and the small pond. 

The alcove was covered in lush foliage covered in an assortment of different berries and flowers. Small plants seemed to paint the ground in pinks and blues as the sun shined upon them. The leaves of the nearby trees provided ample shade for any who wished for it, and the water was a clear crystal blue, another sky, that reflected the beauties of the small cove. The beach that connected to the small body was covered with pale white sand, silky soft sand that lined the beach and as thick as the stones that lined the surrounding area. Small little chunks of Granite and other hard stones were scattered across the clearing with a trail leading to the top of the mountain. A trail that Ho-oh was sure to follow, one which led to a small cave that seemed abandoned. Deciding that this might be a good place for the night, she began to go deeper to see if the cave was as abandoned as it looked.

She calmly flew through the entrance, keeping a sharp eye as the grand light that adorned the entrance began to fade. The shadows that once hid from said light began to arise, grabbing what little vision she had, leaving her in a pitch black darkness. An all consuming void that no light could escape from. Said void would not last as energy collected in front of the legendary. Then there was a spark, a flash before light pierced the void in front of her. A brilliant flame stood against the darkness. A flame not her own, shining through the dark, creating a clear sight. A flame that brought light to the dreary world she had entered. A flame that revealed a cascade of different colors and shapes that broke out of the ground, crystalized in bright hues of green, blue, and red. 

Every color imaginable seemed to radiate from the flame and reflect off of the crystals that lined the walls, painting the walls in a flurry of colors. The bright lights shining from the protruding stone brought with it a soothing presence that filled the cavern. All of this seemed to radiate off of the flame, this only seemed to calm her the more she looked at it. 

This soul that wouldn’t leave her alone, the boy's soul that she had brought into herself had finally awoken; and he wasn’t going anywhere, not until he knew they were safe. So with a clear vision and a very bright companion to talk to she began her trek through the vast cavern.

As she trekked through the long tunnels filled with the beautiful lights that radiated from the little flame in front of her that shined so brightly, she began to marvel at her small little companion. Even when it was so damaged it somehow managed to shine so brightly when many others would simply fade away into the void that surrounded them. What made this little flame so determined. She continued to ponder this as they continued to trek through the vast cave system laid out in front of them.

Before long she landed in a large opening. An opening that seemed to only brighten the more she explored it. It’s walls lined in the crystals from before, A small stream passing through the dreary dark that once blinded her. This place seemed to have everything she was looking for. Food, water, and a clear deterrent that would make any creature that could wish them harm to leave.

She had found a place to nest, now it was time to build it. Looking around the large opening she spotted a nook in the side of the wall that looked to be fairly deep. So with that in mind she flew up to it and began to use her own fire to clear the moisture from the stone and air. Said flame was of an assortment of colors. An entire spectrum of color, singing in a deafened roar as the stone and water that once resided on the stone was replayed with a rose shade that only seemed to radiate more light as it began to soften. 

While this was happening, the little light that had shined through the dark haze that had once blinded her was content to watch as the once dark cave became bright and lively from the colorful flames that only seemed to brighten the crystal structures that lined the walls. A glistening glare that brought with it a flat for which her nest would sit. 

Before long the stream of light faded. The crystals that lined the cavern seemed to retain their light. The light created from the crystals seemed to project a soothing air to the area. The once dreary cave had been turned into a wonderland of lights and wonders. The once moist floors and walls were now dry and cleared. The blackened visage that had met her initially was gone, and in their place was what she had hoped for. The space was ready. She had finished part one of her task, now on to part two.

She turned to the young soul that had provided her company; Even if it was a silent company. The young soul was an enigma to her. Even under all the strain it was under, it continued to persist, where others would break. This impressed her in many aspects, but it also worried her. If the young soul did not rest, then who knows what kind of damage it may cause? She needed to do something, so with little hesitation she approached him and with a ginger tone she spoke.

_**“Young one, it is too early for you to be out.”** _

The flame seemed to shimmer in disagreement, before flying away from her. It seemed to circle around the cavern bringing with it an air of playfulness that only grew as its Guardian began to give chase.

_**“Little one, I must advise against this.”**_ She spoke, her voice giving in to worry as she attempted to convince the young soul to stop, _**“You are not well.”**_ The young flame stopped for a brief moment before flipping and bouncing in place as a sort of taunt. 

It stayed in place for a brief moment before it began to fly further across the room. She followed behind closely as she continued her attempts to convince the young soul to listen. Her pride was slightly injured from its actions. She was a couple of feet away from the young soul before she asked again.

_**“Little one, you are still injured, and surely you are tired?”**_ She was almost begging at this point. The spirit froze in place for a brief moment before rushing towards her. Maybe she had gotten through to it. Feet turned to inches, and inches to millimeters in a brief period of time. The small flame was less than a inch from her before it bounced upward beside her head and over her shoulder.

This action disoriented her, causing her to fall flat on her rear, her eyes dazed in confusion. After a second of catching her berings, she noticed a faint sound. A sound that stemmed from behind her. She slowly turned around only to find the source of the sound. The young soul was creating this noise as it seemed to flicker in amusement. This bothered her to no end. 

_**“That wasn’t very nice you know.”**_ She spoke with a huff.

The spirit stood still for a moment in contemplation before it taunted her again and began to move away from her yet again. Her nerves were at an all time high.

She flew after it, trying with all her might to collect him, but every time that she drew close to him, he seemed to lunge out of the way, causing her to almost crash into the walls that lined the cave. Each time leading to the small flame flicker in what one could only assume to be laughter, as it continued their little game. The chase was on, and she would not be beaten by a child, her responsibility or not. So with a loud war cry she began to chase him more vigorously.

The game was ongoing, seeming to be a never ending fit of laughter from the flame as she pursued it, trying and failing time and time again to catch it. Said flame began to get more cocky, letting her get closer each and every time before giving her the slip right before she could grab it. That cocky attitude would soon be its downfall as soon after it had given her the slip it seemed to break out into a laughing fit, one that distracted him just long enough for her to get the jump on him. 

_**“I gotcha!”**_ Ho-oh yelled out in triumph as she wrapped her wings around the young soul that had managed to evade her for so long. The young soul seemed to flare up in shock for a moment before looking at her for a moment. It stopped still for a brief second then, much to her bewilderment, began to flicker in laughter. Said soul’s laughter seemed to be followed by its flame seeming to flare up brighter and brighter as its laughter began to become stronger. 

Said laughter was strictly to the young soul surrounded by her wings as before long she too began to laugh, seeming to hold the flame closer, holding it to her chest plumage as it leaned further onto her chest. Said chest only seemed to soothe the soul more as it began to calm down. Leaning closer and closer, slowly beginning to hear her heartbeat. Said heartbeat was a lullaby that seemed to work its magic almost immediately as soon after the young soul was unmoving, its soul stilled and warm as it fully leaned onto Ho-oh chest. 

It took a minute for Ho-oh to realize what had happened. She had just stopped laughing when she looked down, only to see the young soul that had caused her so much grief, laying against her chest with a serene and calming aura around it. Resting on her chest as if it had always been with it. This only seemed to bewilder her more. This strange interaction only seemed to make her happier as she began to firmly wrap her wings around said soul before she began to absorb it into her once more. Seemingly more rapidly than she did the first time she had tried. It seemed that the soul wanted to finally get some rest. She stopped for a brief second before she spoke in the most soothing voice she could manage.

_**“Sweet dreams.”** _

A phrase that seemed to make her heart flutter as she thought about the young soul that she had been tasked with taking care of. What once seemed like a heavy burden to be asked to carry seemed to be lightened by the little trouble maker that she had picked up. She seemed to be growing more attached to the young boy already, after such a small interaction. And yet, this small insignificant interaction seemed to only bring her more and more attached to the young boy that she now carried. How could such a simple, irritating action bring her so much joy. How could such a foolhardy action that is below one of her stature be able to entertain her so. No matter how much she tried to reason with herself, she could not stop a smile from rising upon her face. After much debate, she decided to focus on the nest for the time being to get her mind off of the strange interaction that had brought her joy. With her mind set she flew up to the oning one more time to drop off her things before she began to fly towards the entrance.

She soon flew out of the cave and began to look for materials that might help with building the nest. She started her search by looking for any twigs or leaves that she could find. Said twgs proved harder to come by that she initially thought they would. Each one she found always seemed to be half rotted to the point of breaking upon even the smallest of force upon it. This trend only seemed to follow with the rest of the trees around the area, as each only seemed to be worse for wear as she searched. Before long the sun began to set, and yet she had been unable to find the first twig for the nest she needed. The day was coming to a close and she was only running on less and less time as her futile search continued. Just as she was about to give in, a thought crossed her mind

If the trees at the base of the mountain were of such poor supply, why not simply search the trees higher up the mountain. Before she could continue this plan, the sky had turned dark. Her plan would have to wait until tomorrow, for now she needed to focus on getting back into the cave so as to avoid drawing any more attention to herself. Before she left she decided to grab the pile of small rotting twigs that she had collected and take them along with a few berries into the cave with her. 

The night air was freezing and only seemed to get colder as the night progressed. The once warm and friendly terrain that had surrounded the cave had turned into a chillingly dark wall that only seemed to grow as she moved further and further into the cave. The lack of light from her small companion only seemed to become more and more noticeable as she made her way through the system of caverns and tunnels. Eventually she had to resort to using a flamethrower to light the dark tunnel that she traveled through. Even the flames only seemed to make the darkness that surrounded her more noticeable as she made her way into the opening, and up onto the small nook that she heated not to long ago.

When she arrived onto the stone floor, she found it to be ice cold. The fire that she had used earlier had only seemed to briefly heat it, unlike she hoped it would. So with little other options she began to heat the stone once more, the cascade of colors once again painting the walls in roaring lights as the fire sang louder. With a short gust of her wings, the flame seemed to explode outward, hitting every wall, lighting the room in its vast colors. She then proceeded to lay the small pile of twigs that she had collected onto the floor. She stopped briefly after setting the pile onto the ground, and looked around one last time before she used flamethrower to light the pile of sticks.

The pile immediately ignited into a small fire, and the attack immediately stopped. She then proceeded to pull herself into her own wings and climbed into the small fire before she finally rested.

Upon falling asleep she awoke within a void. She could see the ground around her, but could not see anything around her. So with little left to hold her still she began to explore. For what like miles she flew in search of anything of interest. Nothing seemed to meet her, that is until she spotted something interesting. As she had searched she eventually came to find the large pile of eeveelutions surrounding the young boy. Each of the small creatures had wrapped themselves around the boy's body. The jolteon had taken residency over the young boy's left side with her head resting right at his shoulder. The vaporeon had seemingly wrapped her tail around the young boy's hip with her head resting on his chest, and the flareon had taken to his right side. Her head resting on his right shoulder. 

The entire scene seemed to fill the legendary with an unexplainable comfort. To see those that had suffered so much in such a peaceful state relieved much of the stress that had plagued her mind. WIth the biggest threat out of the way,she decided to allow her mind to rest, but just as she began to fully fall into a deep sleep she began to notice something.

The young boy seemed to flench and shake. She was unsure as to the cause and for a brief moment she questioned if she had seen anything at all. That was until the boy began to shake and whimper. His body seemed to quiver as he struggled to rest. She was unsure as to the cause, but the boy wasn’t the only one being affected by the cause. The pile of pokemon that seemed to encompass the boy began to shiver and shake alongside him. Their small forms began to pull closer to each other in an attempt to combat the cold that seemed to cause it. This did not work. The shudder only seemed to worsen the longer she watched. Before long all the boy seemed to do was shiver from what one could assume to be the cold. She couldn’t stand to watch this any longer. The very sight of the young struggling in front of her only seemed to toreture her the longer she stood there, so after a brief contemplation, she jumped to action

She proceeded to get up from the place she had rested and moved closer to the pile. Inch by inch she moved, only stopping once she had reached the fox pile. As she looked closer she noticed that the other three had begun to progress in a similar manner to the young boy. Their condition is degrading much slower than the boy but still degrading nevertheless . She had to do something before this cold caused any harm to them. She briefly questioned starting a fire before she stopped herself. The void wouldn’t be affected by said fire, unlike in the world of the living. 

With very little options left she decided to do the only thing she could, so as gently as she could, she lifted the small group and wrapped her wings around the four souls. Each only seeming to pull themselves closer to the warmth as she fully wrapped them in her wings. The young boy seemed to pull himself closer. His head soon rested on her shoulder as he snuggled closer to her. His arms seemed to wrap around her as his breathing began to calm.

The other three soon followed suit as they climbed the young boys form until they were laying across her shoulders as well. Their heads resting next to the young boy’s. Their frail forms seemed at peace, and the once dark void seemed to lighten.

Before long she began to feel a little tired self. Her eyes began to close on her as she held the four children to her chest. Each giving of their own little sigh of content as they nuzzled close to the warmth that covered them.With one last glance at the four within her wings, she fell into a deep slumber. One that would prove to be the best she had ever had.

**END CHAPTER**


End file.
